€140 thousand for limousines: Brussels will compensate EU summit expenses in Cyprus

The Cypriot government spent about €140,000 on renting 12 armored limousines to transport EU leaders during the informal summit held this week. These costs are expected to be reimbursed from the European Union budget.

According to media reports, the vehicles — all BMW 7 Series models — were brought from Germany for a period of 10 days. The rental cost was about €14,000 per day, or approximately €1,166 per vehicle daily.

The summit took place at the Ayia Napa Marina and the Filoxenia Conference Center. High-level protection vehicles were required to ensure the safety of heads of state and senior European Commission representatives. Authorities noted that tender details were not disclosed for security reasons.

Following the event, the vehicles will be returned abroad.

In parallel, there is a separate contract for the rental of 60 BMW 5 Series cars for the needs of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU. Its cost is estimated at approximately €1 million for seven months. The cars are used for transporting delegations, officials, and administrative staff.

A similar practice was applied previously: during the Cypriot Presidency of the EU in 2012, BMW vehicles were also rented, some of which were subsequently sold. It is expected that a similar scheme may be implemented after the current contract ends.

Authorities emphasize that a significant portion of the presidency's organization costs, including transport and logistics, is covered by EU funds.